Ash tray



Dec; 22, 1942.

J. A. FRENCH ETAL ASH TRAY Filed Oct. 26, 1940 J P05 P o BY 3 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 22, 1942 ASH TRAY Joseph A. French and Philip Victor Rommel, Newark, N. J.

Application October26, 1940, Serial No. 362,978

2 Claims.

This invention relates to ash receivers or trays and, more particularly, to an ash receiver having recesses therein in which a cigarette may be snuffed out.

In devices of this kind it is usual that the ash receiver or trayhas formed therein pockets or recesses in which a cigarette is placed, lighted end down, and pressed so that the same is snuffed out. In most such devices the cigarette butt becomes jammed in the recess and cannot be readily removed from the ash tray, when it is desired to clean the tray, without the use of an instrument or the fingers of the person cleaning the tray. This is not only inconvenient but also unsanitary.

It is an object of this invention to provide an ash tray having cigarette snufling pockets, which ash tray may be easily cleaned.

Another object of this invention is to provide an ash tray in which the cigarette snuffing pockets will not interfere materially with the ash receiving capacity of the tray.

Another object of this invention is to provide an insert having cigarette snufling pockets therein, which insert may be easily and quickly removed from the tray so that the tray may be emptied.

Other objects will become apparent in the course of the following specification:

The above and other objects of the present invention may be realized by providing an ash receiver with an insert of resilient material, having formed in the periphery thereof indentations of sufficient size to accommodate a cigarette. The insert has a portion of the periphery cut out, forming two ends spaced apart, each having a handle projecting upwardly therefrom.

The insert is of a larger diameter than the inside diameter of the ash tray, So that when the same is placed within the tray the insert is compressed, bringing the spaced ends nearer together, causing a tension in the insert to press the periphery thereof against the inner wall of the ash tray, the inner wall of the ash tray forming one side of the cigarette snuffing pockets.

In removing the insert the handles are pressed together, which further reduces the diameter of the insert, so that it may be easily removed from the ash tray.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the ash tray of this invention, showing the insert positioned within the tray;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the device of this invention;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the insert; and

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the insert.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

This device comprises an ash tray It having an ash receiving recess II therein and a flange I2 therearound, the recess having side walls IIa. In the drawing the ash tray is shown as round, but it will b-ereadily understood that a square or other shaped tray might be used.

Adapted to be inserted within the ash receiving recess II is an insert I3, said insert being of resilient material and of a slightly greater diameter than the diameter of the ash receiving recess II. Formed in the periphery of the insert I3 is a plurality of indentations, or pockets, I4, there being a surface I 5 of the periphery extending between said pockets.

The insert I3 is formed of one piece of metal bent to the desired shape, having two opposite ends I6 and I! which are spaced apart, the end I6 having a handle I8 projecting upwardly therefrom and the end I'I having a handle I9 likewise projecting upwardly therefrom.

vWhen it is desired to place the insert in the ash receiving recess II of the ash tray IS, the handles I8 and I9 are pressed together, bringing the ends I8 and I? of the insert I3 close to ether,

' which compresses the insert I3, which is of resilient material, reducing the diameter thereof and creating a tension therein. The same is then placed within the ash receiving recess I I and the grip of the operator released from the handles I8 and I9, which allow-s the insert I3 to expand under the tension therein until the surfaces I5 of the periphery engage the side walls Ila of the recess II. Since the diameter of the insert I3 is normally greater than the diameter of the recess II, the insert is held within the recess II by means of the tension within the insert.

A cigarette may be snuffed out by placing the same lighted end downwardly into one of the pockets. I 4, as shown at 20 in Figures 1 and 2.

The pockets I4 will also act to hold the cigarettes and prevent the same from falling therefrom in the event the same are not completely snuffed out, so that the cigarette will not fall therefrom and cause a nearby object to be burned.

When it is desired to clean the ash tray, it is merely necessary to press the handles I8 and I9 together until the insert I3 assumes the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 of the drawing. The insert may then be readily removed from the recess II and the tray emptied. Since the side wall IIa forms one side of the cigarette snufling pockets I4, when the insert I3 is removed from the tray any cigarette which has become lodged in the pockets I4 may be easily removed through the open side by merely shaking the insert.

The cigarette butts, however, may stick to the side walls Ila of the pockets I4. If so, they may be easily dislodged therefrom when theinsert is compressed by pressing the handles I8 and I9 together and removed from the recess I I of the ash receiver.

When the insert I3 is positioned within the ash-receiving recess II, the handles I8 and I9 are spaced apart a distance slightly less than the diameter of a cigarette, so that a'cigarette may be positioned therebetween, the handles I8 and I9 grasping the cigarette'and'holding it. In this manner a lighted cigarette may be held against falling from the ash tray. Also the cigarette will burn only until the portion held between the handles I8 and I9 is reached, the handles pressing toward one another acting to snufi the cigarette. l

It will be readily understood that an ash tray having a square or other shaped recess may be used, the shape of the insert conforming to the shape of the recess in the ash tray.

It is apparent that the specific illustration shown has been given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, and the structure above described is subject to a wide variation and modification without departing from the scope or intent of the invention, all of which variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An ash tray comprising an ash receiving recess, a circumferentially compressible insert of resilient material divided in its periphery to form two ends spaced apart, said insert having a plurality of transverse indentations in the periphery thereof, the periphery of said insert being adapted to resiliently engage the side of said recess, the indentations and the side of said recess forming pockets in which lighted cigarettes may be snufied, and upwardly extending handles on each of said two ends whereby pressing together of said handles will circumferentially compress said insert.

2. An insert for an ash tray having an ash receiving recess, comprising a circumferentially compressible strip of resilient material divided in its periphery to form two ends spaced apart, said strip having a plurality of transverse indentations in the periphery thereof, the periphery of said strip being adapted to resiliently engage the side of said recess, the indentations and the side of said recess forming pockets in which lighted cigarettes may be snuffed, and upwardly extending handles on each of said two ends whereby pressing together of said handles will circumferentially compress said insert.

JOSEPH A. FRENCH. PHILIP VICTOR ROMMEL. 

